The Gophers play their first regular season game on Friday night at 8 p.m. in Williams Arena against Concordia (St. Paul), but last week after the team’s second exhibition game coach Tubby Smith described junior college transfer Paul Carter as an “emotional and spiritual leader.”  The statement said a lot about the sophomore forward who has played in just two games for the Gophers, and also the leadership void left from the departure of four seniors from last season’s team.

The 6-8 Carter was at times the best player on the floor for the Gophers last Thursday night in a 92-62 win over Northern State.  In 21 minutes he had a team high seven rebounds, scored 17 points, had a couple of assists and steals, and blocked a shot.  His energy and hustle were exemplary.

In his post game news conference Smith talked about how “people respect playing for glory, not of self, but of team,” and he was referring to his unselfish new player from Little Rock.  “He’s been really that for us, mature,” Smith said.  “That’s one of the reasons we wanted him to be part of this program because I knew that would be key to (the) maturity of this team. …”

The Gophers, including Carter, were unimpressive in the team’s first exhibition game, an 88-80 win over St. Cloud State on November 3.  Carter’s stats included six points on two-for-seven shooting and six rebounds.  The Gophers have five new players on the 13-man roster.  Against St. Cloud they looked like what they were, a bunch of guys playing in their first game together, making an anxious debut on the home floor in front of the fans.

Carter talked about the change from exhibition game one to two.  “As far as improvement from my perspective, it’s just the guys kind of feeling their way out on the court, getting to know each other,” he said. “Our chemistry has been kind of like off here and there because of different rotation of guys in. But definitely tonight we showed that we’re on the same page when we communicate. …”

Sophomore point guard Al Nolen, who while young and inexperienced has to be a team leader, too, said that it takes time for some players to come out of their “shells” in a new environment.  Others, though, are more comfortable sooner on and off the court.  “Like Paul, right away he was right around us,” Nolen said.  “He was really, really social.  Sometimes it takes people longer than others, but I think everybody is coming along well.”

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A local group will visit Indianapolis today to make a final pitch to the NCAA to have Minneapolis and the Metrodome selected to host the Final Four in 2014, 2015 or 2016.  Minneapolis is one of 10 cities being considered, according to Dennis Alfton, director of operations for the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission.

Look for Smith to use a lot of players early in the nonconference schedule as he figures out who his best players are.  He played all 11 of his available players nine minutes or more against Northern State.  Junior forward Damian Johnson and senior center Jonathan Williams didn’t play last week because of injuries.

“I am not a big guy (on) who starts, but who finishes,” Smith said.  “…So I really don’t have a timetable (for a starting lineup, key reserves).  The sooner, the better.  I don’t have a deadline.”

The Gophers’ other junior college transfer, guard Devron Bostick, came to Minnesota after being recognized as the national Division I Junior College Athletic Association player of the year.  He averaged 18.2 points per game last season while playing for Southwestern Illinois Community College, but against Northern State missed all five of his field goal attempts and in two exhibition games has five points.  Smith said Bostick hasn’t played confidently yet.

The November 10 issue of Sporting News picks the Gophers to finish fourth in the Big Ten Conference behind Michigan State, Purdue and Wisconsin.

College basketball’s early signing date starts Wednesday and continues through November 19.  For their class of 2009 the Gophers reportedly have verbal commitments from Royce White of Hopkins, Rodney Williams of Cooper, Justin Cobbs of Torrance, California and Trevor Mbwake, a junior college transfer who played high school basketball in Minnesota.  The class will be favorably ranked nationally.  That will give the Gophers consecutive nationally rated classes, and so the 2010 class is likely to have lower profile players who can fill roles.

The same issue of Sporting News listed the 10 best moves by Tampa Bay executive Andrew Friedman in building the Rays into American League champions.  The No. 2 move was the trade with the Twins that brought pitcher Matt Garza and shortstop Jason Bartlett to Tampa Bay, and “traded away a clubhouse distraction in controversial outfielder Delmon Young,” according to the magazine.

That trade was made under the leadership of Bill Smith, a year ago the Twins’ new general manager.  The much talked about trade that brought Young here, plus the Twins need to improve their roster, puts Smith on the spot during this off-season.

Although he hit .135 in his last 10 games and the Twins lost their playoff tie-breaker to the White Sox, don’t be surprised if Justin Morneau wins the American League Most Valuable Player award to be announced soon.

The Timberwolves’ defense was poor last week in losses to San Antonio and Sacramento, giving up 250 points .  Despite his talent, 6-2 San Antonio point guard Tony Parker shouldn’t score 55 points.  Why didn’t the Wolves, as TV analyst Jim Petersen asked during the game, double team Parker and make him give up the ball?  Against Sacramento, lacking both effort and size, the Wolves allowed a parade of lay-ups and in-close baskets, apparently unwilling or unable to close down the lane.  To put more length and bulk in the front court, the Wolves should try a front line of 7 foot Jason Collins at center, and Al Jefferson and Kevin Love, both listed at 6-10, at forwards.

A Vikings source didn’t hesitate when asked last week who former Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre would be rooting for in yesterday’s Packer game here.  The immediate response was “us.”

Bloomington native Lane Kiffin, the former Oakland coach and USC assistant, is having his name mentioned among candidates for the coaching vacancies at Washington and Tennessee.

Pro sports teams are going to be impacted by the recession.  Various news stories involving slumping ticket sales, reduced payrolls, loans and possibly even relocations may develop.

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Except for Adrian Peterson, the team’s No. 1 pick in 2007, the Vikings recent college drafts haven’t provided impact players.  Peterson is by far the best of the choices in the last five years and the Vikings have had better success gaining high impact help from NFL free agents during that period.

Running back Peterson and center Matt Birk, a 1998 pick, are the high impact players on offense who came through the draft.  Quarterback Gus Frerotte, wide receiver Bernard Berrian and left guard Steve Hutchinson are vital to the offense and all signed as free agents.

Except for defensive tackle Kevin Williams, a 2003 draft pick, the biggest contributors on defense are end Jared Allen, who came here in a trade, plus free agent acquisitions tackle Pat Williams, cornerback Antoine Winfield, and safeties Darren Sharper and Madieu Williams.

The Vikings have reserves Jeff Dugan (fullback) and Dontarrious Thomas (linebacker) from the 2004 draft still on the roster.  Reserve offensive tackle Marcus Johnson, a product of the 2005 draft, is with the team but that year’s two No. 1 picks, wide receiver Troy Williamson and defensive end Erasmus James, are not.

The Vikings do have four starters from the 2006 draft, defensive end Ray Edwards, linebacker Chad Greenway, cornerback Cedric Griffin and offensive tackle Ryan Cook, who are starters and trying to establish themselves.  Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, also from that draft, may one day resume a starting place in the lineup.

Along with Peterson, the Vikings still have several players from the 2007 and 2008 drafts but they have been mostly reserves and not particularly productive, although rookie safety Tyrell Johnson drew praise for his work as a starter while Madieu Williams was injured.

The Vikings’ five drafts from 1999-2003 look superior to the last five, at least for now. The 1999 draft produced quarterback Daunte Culpepper and tight end Jim Kleinsasser (still with the team).  Defensive tackle Chris Hovan, a 2000 draft choice, made all pro during his career here, as did Culpepper.  The 2001, 2002 and 2003 drafts gave the Vikings immediate starters in running back Michael Bennett, offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie and defensive tackle Kevin Williams.  Plus, the 2003 draft produced linebacker E.J. Henderson, the team’s best linebacker this season until injured, and wide receiver Nate Burleson who became a starter before signing with Seattle.

The next couple of years will provide the final evaluation on the recent drafts but in the meantime, as the Vikings prepare for Sunday’s game at home with Green Bay, there’s no doubt this is a team built on a foundation of free agents.

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